I lead us down the staircase to the basement level while Milo talks animatedly about the concert, but I can only nod along. I totally blew my chance back there! I’d practiced for days, but I still froze up when it counted. But I can’t beat myself up too much. There’s still time for Attempt #2. What happened before was a practice round.

Down at the gelateria Milo opts for the Nutella flavor while I choose peach, and we sit at a table by the gift shop. In between bites of gelato Milo raves about the cello solo during the concert, but my nerves are getting to me again and I only catch every other word. I tuck my hair behind my ear, then let it fall. Gosh, I’m nervous. Why does asking someone out have to be so hard?

Milo stretches out his long legs under the table and taps his shoe against mine. “This is random, but can I ask you something about spring fling?”

My gaze snaps up to meet his. Oh my God. Is he going to ask me to go with him? Okay, I can’t get too ahead of myself, but why else would he say that? All right, act normal, Juliet. Be cool.

“Sure. Ask away,” I say, shrugging like this is no big deal.

“Do you think corsages are still a thing? Like, are they expected?”

Hmm, this is a weird way to ask someone to a dance, but I say, “For homecoming and prom, I would say yes.”

“Right?” He looks at me like we’re on the same page, even though I have no idea what book he’s reading from. “I told my mom that spring fling is more casual, but she’s bugging me that I should order a corsage for Elena.”

I almost drop my spoon. “Wait . . . you’re going to spring fling? With Elena Greenbaum?”

“Yep, she asked me two days ago. Didn’t I tell you?”

“Um, no.” He certainly didn’t mention this Very Important Development at all, and neither did Elena, who plays violin in the orchestra with us. That traitor.

“What do you think, though? Yea or nay on the corsage?”

I stuff a big bite of gelato into my mouth so I don’t have to answer him right away. My brain is still processing that Elena asked him to the dance and that he said yes. I’ve been tying myself into an emotional pretzel all week, but I’m two days too late.

Well, crap.

Milo waves a hand in front of my face. “Earth to Jules? Where’d you go?”

“You should get a corsage,” I blurt, because I would definitely want one if I were Elena, but then I wince because that corsage should’ve been mine. I would’ve saved it and dried it after the dance, too, because it would’ve been my first and it would’ve come from Milo.